Method of preparing packages of yarn for subsequent treatment

ABSTRACT

A method whereby a plurality of core supported wound packages of yarn are moved in a predetermined common path of travel past a core replacement station and a replacement core is substituted for the winding core at the core replacement station, in order to prepare the packages of yarn for subsequent treatment such as dyeing and the like.

United States Patent 1 1 Willis et al. 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] METHOD OFPREPARING PACKAGES 0F YARN FOR SUBSEQUENT [56] References CitedTREATMENT UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventors: David M. Willis; William0. Young, 3 564 695 2,197] 29,234

Jr.; Walter J. Quattlebaum, all of p g S C. 3,568,293 3/1971 Young,.29/234 [73} Assignee: Butte Knitting Mills, Spartanburg, PrimaryExaminer.lohn F. Campbell S.C. Assistant Examiner-D. P. Rooney [22]Filed: Nov- 23, 19,70 AttorneyParrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson [21]Appl. No.: 91,974 [57] ABSTRACT nam s Application A method whereby aplurality of core supported wound packages of yarn are moved in apredeter- [62] Division of Ser. No. 645,645, June 13, 1967, Pat. No.mined common h f travd past a core replacement station and a replacementcore is substituted for the winding core at the core replacementstation, in order [52] US. Cl. ..29/428, 29/234, 29/225, to prepare thepackages of yam for subsequent "cab 29,21 1 ment such as dyeing and thelike. [5 1] Int. Cl. ..B23p 19/00 [58] Field of Search ..29/428, 234,225, 2] l 9 Claims, 20 Drawing Figures l0? I08 u l06 HS 7 B I 1 G T) J99m II II I00 H6 PATENTEDJAHS 197s 3.710.431

SHEET 2 [If 9 bAvlb M. Wmus. wlLuAM O. YOUNG. J2. and WALTER :IQUATTLEBAUM PAIENIEDJAH 16 ms 3. 7 1 0 .431

snmuurs INVENTORS: DAVID M. W\LLI5, WILUAM O. YouNGJE.

.1 1 9:8 an WALTER I QUATTLEBALIM PATENTEDJAH 16 ms 3.710.431

SHEU 5 OF 9 INVENTORS bAvlb M. WlLLlS. WILLIAM O. Y0UNC1.J2. mdWALTE-EIQUATTLEEAUM ii aQ PAIENIEDJM 16 I973 SHEET 7 BF 9 PATENTEDJAH 16 1973swan 9 BF 9 6; i ii In? ML v f fizz I METHOD OF PREPARING PACKAGES FYARN FOR SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT This application is a division fromapplication Ser. No. 645,645 filed June 13, 1967 now U.S. Pat. No.3,564,695 and entitled Method and Apparatus for Preparing Packages ofYarn for Subsequent Treatment".

At a certain stage in some processes for the manufacture of textilegoods, yarn which is to be formed subsequently into the goods byknitting, weaving or the like is wound into packages about supportingcores and thereafter heat treated with steam or by the circulation of ahot liquid through the packages to dye or otherwise treat the yarn. Inmany such fluid treatment processes involving wound packages of yarn, itis preferred that the supporting core for the package during thetreatment process be a perforate core, in order that fluid may flowradially of the wound package and treat the yarn uniformly throughoutthe package. Due to the fluids and temperatures frequently used in suchfluid treatment processes, cores used during treatment processespreferably are formed of a corrosion resistant material which has a longuseful life, such as stainless steel. The various requirements thattreatment cores have perforate walls and be formed of stainless steelhave heretofore presented two particular difficulties which have hadunfavorable effects on the operations of yarn processors.

More particularly, a yarn processor's choice heretofore generally hasbeen between the necessity of supplying a large number of relativelyexpensive treatment cores and the alternative necessity of processingyarn through an additional and otherwise unnecessary winding operation.The number of treatment cores needed to permit winding the yarn ontosuch cores at the last necessary winding operation prior to dyeing mustbe such as to permit maintaining the entire inventory of yarn movingthrough these two processing stages on such cores. If that large numberof cores is not to be provided, then an additional winding operationmust be added to the processors operations for the transfer of yarn frompackage cores made of rigid paper tube to the treatment cores only asrequired for immediate processing. In either event, the investment ofcapital required for the textile operation is increased by either of thealternative requirements of providing machinery for an intermediatewinding operation or providing a substantially greater number of therelatively expensive treatment cores than would otherwise be necessary.In certain limited instances, an effort has been made to provideequipment capable of replacing the winding cores of individual packageswith treatment cores without rewinding the packages, but the additionalhandling of individual packages thus required has precluded anyrealization of an improvement.

With the foregoing particularly in mind, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a method which avoids the deficiencies heretoforepresent in textile operations wherein wound packages of yarn areprepared for subsequent treatment such as dyeing by the replacement of awinding core with a treatment core. In realizing this object of thepresent invention, a method is followed wherein a plurality of woundpackages are presented in orderly succession at a core replacementstation, and the winding core employed during the conventional windingoperation is replaced at that station by a core particularly adapted forthe next following processing step, such as dyeing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of preparingwound packages of yarn for a subsequent fluid treatment operationwherein a plurality of the wound packages are moved along apredetermined common path of travel including a core replacement stationwhile the winding cores on which the packages are formed are replaced byperforate cores as each package is successively sensed to be of propersize for core replacement and presented at the core replacement station.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated,others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. I is a side elevation ofan apparatus which prepares packages of yarn for subsequent treatment inaccordance with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a portion of the apparatusof FIGS. 1 and 2, taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, illustrating onestep in the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. Sis an enlarged elevation, in partial section, of a portion of theapparatus of FIG. 1, taken generally along the line 5-5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a partially schematical elevation of a portion of theapparatus of FIG. 1 at one stage in the advancement of a package ofyarn;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating a further progression inthe advancement of a package of yarn;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrating the rejection ofa package of incorrect size for core replacement;

FIGS. 9, I0, 11 and 12 are partially schematic elevations illustratingthe successive steps in replacement of a package core in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. I3 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1,illustrating a centering spring device for engaging a package of yarn;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged section view through a portion of the apparatusof FIG. I at a stage in core replacement corresponding to thatillustrated in FIG. 12;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are partly schematic illustrations of a pneumaticallyactuated control system for the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 9 ofa modified form of apparatus;

FIGS. 18 and 19 are enlarged partial section views similar to FIGS. I7and I0 illustrating the successive steps in replacement of a packagecore by the modified apparatus, and

FIG. 20 is an elevation view similar to FIGS. 18 and 19.

In order to support the various operating instrumentalities of theapparatus of the present invention, and to permit adaptation of theapparatus of packages of various sizes, the apparatus includes astationary supporting frame adapted to be mounted on a workroom floorand a movable frame interconnected to the stationary frame foradjustment relative thereto. The stationary frame includes verticalstandards 21-25 and elongated stringer members 26-31 secured to thevertical standards and extending therefrom (FIGS. 1 and 2). One pair ofvertical standards 21 and 22 adjacent one extremity of the apparatus,are the location of an interconnection of the stationary frame with amovable frame including vertical members 35 and 36 and horizontalmembers 37 and 38. A horizontally disposed shaft 39 extends through thestationary vertical standards 21 and 22 and movable members 35 and 36 todefine a horizontal axis for pivotal movement for the movable frame.

The angular position of the movable frame relative to the stationaryframe, and thus the alignment of the free end of the movable frame (tothe right in FIG. I) with the stationary frame, is governed by aresilient biasing means and an opposing restraining means. Preferably,the resilient biasing means takes the form of a pair of air cylinders 40and 41, each of which has one extremity secured to a horizontal member42 extending transversely of the stationary frame and the otherextremity engaging a horizontal member 43 secured to the movable frameto urge the same upwardly when air pressure is applied to the cylindersduring operation of the apparatus. ln opposition to the upward urgingforce developed and applied by the biasing means 40 and 41, a pair oftension rods 44 and 45 engage the stationary and movable frames to limitupward movement of the movable frame in response to the biasing force byexerting a restraining force. A number of removable spacers 46 areinterposed between the movable frame and the upper extremities of thetension rods 44 and 45 engaged therewith, with the number of spacers 46being varied to determine the angular position of the movable frameabout the pivot axis 39.

APPARATUS OPERATING lNSTRUMENTALlTlES In order to provide for receivinga plurality of packages of yarn and for moving the packages along apredetermined common path of travel and past a core replacement station,this invention provides means including upper and lower package troughsand a rotatably supported package advancing means. The package troughsinclude an upper package trough 50, supported on and movable with themovable frame, and a lower package trough 51, supported on thestationary frame. A plurality of finger members 52, mounted beneath thefloor S4 of the trough 50 to project forwardly adjacent the lowerextremity thereof, define a pocket at the lower end of the trough 50.The width of the floor 54 of the trough 50 and the vertical extent ofthe sidewalls 55 and 56 thereof are such that packages P of yarn arereceived in the upper trough 50 in a predetermined common orientation,with the winding cores W thereof in a horizontal disposition, and areadvanced by gravity along a predetermined common path of travel to adispensing position defined by the scooped finger members 52. When apackage P reaches the dispensing location at the pocket formed by thefinger members 52, it is in position to be received by a packageadvancing means and advanced thereby in continued movement along thepredetermined path.

ln order to controllably advance individual packages from the packagedispensing location at the extremity of the upper trough 50 along thecommon path of travel and past a core replacement station, thisinvention provides package advancing means including a rotatable member60. The rotatable member 60 is formed by a plurality of plates 61, 62,63, 64, and 66, some of which are generally cross-shaped or of lobedconfiguration such as plate 61 and others of which are circular such asplate 66, secured together and mounted for rotation about a stationarycentral shaft fixed to the forward extremity of the horizontal members37 and 38 of the movable frame (FIGS. 3 and 14). Each of the cruciformplates 61-64 has a plurality of lifting fingers 71, 72 and 73 securedthereto and projecting outwardly therefrom at circumferentially spacedapart locations and the rotatable member 60 is so supported and arrangedrelative to the trough finger members 52 that, upon rotation of themember 60, the lifting fingers 7l-73 pass through interstitial spacesbetween the trough fingers members 52, to lift a package P from thedispensing location and receive the same into a pocket defined betweentwo projecting portions of the cruciform plate members 6164 (FIGS. 6 and7).

Control over the rotation and position of the rotatable member 60 ismaintained in part by the plates 61-66 composing that member beingrestrained against entirely free rotation about the shaft 70. Instead, aplurality of biasing springs 75 provide a longitudinally directed forceacting to expand a pair of frictional face members 76 and 77 outwardlyagainst opposing stationary friction surface members 78 and 79 (FIG.14). The rotation retarding force thus developed is adjusted by varyingthe force exerted by the springs 75, so that the rotatable member 60 maybe indexed when driven as hereinafter described but is not so freelyrotatable as to become displaced by a core replacement operation.

In order to drive the rotatable member 60 in rotation as required and topositively locate a pocket thereof at a core replacement station, thisinvention provides advancing driving means including an advancing meanscylinder 80 and a pushing bar 8] operatively secured to a piston rod 82moving within the cylinder 80. The pushing bar 81 has an extendedleading end and a pushing socket intermediate its length, whichcooperate with a plurality of cross-bars 84 extending between the twocircular plates 65 and 66 which are secured together with the cruciformplates 61-64 to form the rotatable member 60. The mounting of theadvancing means cylinder 80 and the thickness of the pushing bar 81additionally cooperates with the plurality of crossbars 84 to positivelylocate the rotatable member 60 in a desirable position by engagement ofthe lower surface of the pushing bar 81 with a cross-bar 84 as therotatable member 81 is rotated to the desired position. The socket ofthe pushing bar 81 is configured to engage a cross-bar 84 by extendingpartially therearound and, upon extension of the piston rod 82 andpushing bar 81 by the admission of pressure fluid to the advancing meanscylinder 80, the rotatable member 60 is driven into rotation until thenext following cross-bar 84 engages the lower surface of the pushing bar81 and further rotation of the rotatable member 60 is blocked.Thereafter, retraction of the pushing member 81 withdraws the pushingsocket to a position adjacent the next circumferentially spacedconnecting bar 84, while the lower surface of the pushing bar 81 and theextended extremity thereof assure that operative engagement with therotatable member 60 is maintained during the retraction movement andthat the pushing socket is returned to proper alignment for engagementwith the next adjacent cross-bar 84. The extremity of the fluidactuation cylinder 80 remote from the pushing member 81 is pivotallyconnected to transverse brace 85 secured to the movable frame members 37and 38, in order to permit a slight rising movement of the pushingmember 81 as necessitated by the alignment of the machine elements(compare FIGS. 6 and 7).

In order to further assure that the rotatable member 60 is maintainedwith a package receiving pocket in the predetermined position locating apackage P in the core replacement station, this invention provides athird means for blocking rotation of the rotatable member 60 after thepushing bar 81 has been retracted. More particularly, a suitable fluidpressure cylinder 90 is mounted on a vertical member 89 secured to thehorizontal member 37 of the moving frame in such a position that thepiston rod 91 thereof is projected outwardly to intercept the path ofthe lifting fingers 71-73 of the rotatable member 60 upon application offluid pressure to the cylinder 90 (FIG. 6). With engagement of thepiston rod 91 with a lifting finger 73 of the rotatable member 60,further forward rotation of the rotatable member 60 is blocked. Due tothe use of a properly sized air cylinder 80 to drive the rotatablemember 60 in rotation, such positive blocking of rotation does notresult in injury to the operating instrumentalities of the apparatus.Instead, a positive determination of the position of a package Preceived in one of the pockets of the rotatable member 60 is readilyaffected.

The importance of the positive location of a package P at a corereplacement station, as for example by blocking the rotation of therotatable member 60, becomes more clear in view of the provision in theapparatus of a core replacing means, in order to expel] a winding core Wfrom within a package P while inserting a replacement core R thereinto.Preferably, the core replacing means takes the form of a mandrel member95 (FIGS. 9l2 and 14), mounted on one terminal extremity of a piston rod96 of a core replacement cylinder 97 and supported for movement along apredetermined path transverse to the common path of travel to thepackages P. The predetermined path of travel for the mandrel member 95extends between two extreme positions, one of which is remote from thecore replacement station at the intersection of the mandrel path withthe common path of travel of the packages P, (FIG. 9) and the other ofwhich positions the mandrel member 95 penetrating a package P (FIG. 12)at the core replacement station. Movement of the mandrel member 95between the two extreme positions results from the application of fluidpressure to the core replacing cylinder 97. which is supported on thestationary frame standards 23 and 24 with the mandrel member 95 alignedfor intersection of the package path as described above.

It is the necessity of aligning the mandrel member 95 with the windingcore W of a package P at the core replacement station which requires theprovision of the movable frame and the support of the rotatable member60 at the forward extremity thereof. More particularly, verticaldisplacement of the rotatable member 60, by adjustment of the number ofspacer blocks 46 inserted between the upper extremity of the tensionrods 44 and 45 and the movable frame cross member 43, permitsaccommodating packages P of varying overall diameters, by positioning ofthe winding cores W in correct alignment for core replacement uponreciprocation of the mandrel member 95.

In movement between the two extreme positions along the predeterminedpath of mandrel travel, the mandrel member enters first into areplacement core R. In one operating embodiment of the presentinvention, the replacement core R is a longitudinally rigid core made,for example, of stainless steel tubing having a perforated wall. Withsuch a longitudinally rigid core, the mandrel member 95 may be of areduced diameter throughout substantially its entire length, topenetrate into the replacement core R and the winding core W. Adjacentthe remote extremity of the mandrel member 95 is a shoulder portion 98,of sufficiently large diameter to engage one extremity of thereplacement core R and push the replacement core toward the package P asthe mandrel member 95 enters into the winding core W. In order to assureaccommodation of a limited range of sizes for the package P, the mandrelmember 95 also includes, at the forward extremity thereof a taperedportion 99 faced with low friction material which, on entrance onto awinding core W raises the package P undergoing core replacement adistance as much as one inch from the pocket of the rotatable member 60(phantom lines in FIG. 6 and compare FIGS. 9 and 10). Upon advancementof the mandrel member 95 so that the tapered portion 99 penetrates thereplacement core and enters the winding core W, the package is displacedlaterally into engagement with a side plate 100 faced with low frictionmaterial, against the minor biasing force of a centering spring 101.With firm lateral support for the package P, further extension of themandrel member 95 causes the tapered portion 99 to lift the package Ponto the main body of the mandrel member, pushes the leading end of thereplacement core into engagement with the winding core W, and expels thewinding core W from within the package P as the replacement core R isinserted thereinto (FIG. 11).

In order to break the package P by compressing the same longitudinallyof the replacement core R, and thereby assure more uniform density ofthe package, the apparatus is provided with a movable side plate 105,having a low friction face and supported by a pair of spaced bearingrods 106 and 107 which extend through a spaced pair of supporting platemembers 108 and 109 to be guided thereby in linear movement. The movableside plate is biased to a normally withdrawn position by a pair ofbiasing springs 1 l0 and 111 encircling the supporting rods 106 and 107(FIGS. 9-11) and carries a second centering spring 112 similar to thespring 101. The hole within the movable side plate 105 which ispenetrated by the mandrel member 95 and replacement core R during coreinsertion is so sized that the side plate is engaged by the enlargedterminal extremity portion 98 of the mandrel member 95 upon completionof core replacement. Upon such engagement, and with the completion ofcore replacement, the movable side plate 105 is forced against thepackage P to apply a compressive force thereto longitudinally of thereplacement core (FIG. 12).

In order to assure proper stripping of the expelled winding core W fromthe mandrel member 95, and to prepare the package P for further advancealong the common path of travel from the core replacing station, thisinvention provides a vertically sliding latch member 115 in thestationary side plate 100 (FIG. 14). The sliding latch member 115 movesupwardly upon expulsion of the winding core W, but is free to slidedownwardly by gravity and engage the trailing end of the expelledwinding core W upon expulsion thereof from the package by the mandrelmember 95. Upon subsequent withdrawal of the mandrel member from thepackage P, the expelled winding core W is prevented from movement backinto the package P by the latch member, and falls to a discharge chute116. On withdrawal of the mandrel member 95, the movable side plate 105is released to return to its normal biased position, and the force ofthe centering springs 101 and 112 carried in the sidewalls of theapparatus at the core replacing station returns the package P to acentered position in the pocket of the rotatable member 60. Thereafter,the package P is advanced to the lower chute 51 by further rotation ofthe rotatable member 60 (as in FIG. 7).

In order to assure a continuing supply of replacement cores R for theoperation of the apparatus, this invention provides means for receivingand storing a plurality of the replacement cores. More particularly, areplacement core trough 120 adjacent the core replacement station has afloor 121 and sidewalls 122 and 123 sized to receive a plurality of suchcores R in a predetermined common orientation, and to feed suchreplacement cores R by gravity flow to a dispensing position inalignment with the mandrel member 95 when the same is in the withdrawnposition (FIGS. and 9). In order to assure that the next succeedingreplacement core is not engaged by the rearward extremity of the mandrelmember 95 as the mandrel member is retracted from the core replacementstation, a gate control member 125 is provided which has a verticallyupstanding lip portion 126 penetrating the floor 121 of the replacementcore feed trough 120 (FIG. 5). The position of the upstanding lip 126 iscontrolled by a suitable actuator cylinder 130, and coordinated toextension and retraction of the mandrel member 95 so as to assure thatonly a single replacement core R is presented as required and incoordination to the other operations of the apparatus.

CONTROL SYSTEM AND NORMAL SIZE PACKAGE OPERATlON A pressure fluidcontrol system (FIGS 15 and 16) preferably is employed to actuate thevarious operating instrumentalities described above, in order to avoidthe difficulties possibly present in an electrical actuation system andobtain the benefits of resilient operating forces where such forces arepreferred while assuring proper sequential operation of the variousoperating instrumentalities. The control system is responsive to thepresence or absence of packages P moving along the predetermined commonpath of travel, and correctly coordinates the rotation of the rotatablemember 60, the extension and retraction of the mandrel member 95, andthe release of replacement cores R to assure that the winding cores ofpackages of proper size for accommodation by the apparatus are replacedwith replacement cores while packages of other sizes are rejectedwithout actuation of the core replacing means.

Prior to describing the detailed operation of the fluid pressure controlsystem, it is pertinent to point out the various responses which arerequired. In order to achieve the desired efficiency of operation, theapparatus must proceed with the replacement of winding cores in packagesof proper size for so long as such replacement is possible. For thisreason, the operation of the apparatus must not be interrupted solelybecause a package of incorrect size is presented for core replacement orsome other unexpected operating condition arises. More particularly, thecycle of advancing a single package from the upper trough 50 to the corereplacement station and subsequently advancing the package from the corereplacement station to the lower trough 51 must proceed regardless ofreplacement of the core of the package advanced. However, in order topromote efficiency, it is preferred that packages of incorrect size forcore replacement be diverted from this common path of travel. With theseends in view, the control system hereinafter described operates inmultiple modes. As discussed immediately hereinafter, it is assumed thatthe cycle of operation has been initiated and is proceeding solely inresponse to movements of the operating instrumentalities.

The first mode encompasses the normal cycle of operation of theapparatus, wherein a package of proper size for core replacement ispresented at the core replacement station and the winding core thereofis replaced with a replacement core. With the pushing bar 81 in theretracted position, the lower surface thereof engages a first advancingmeans trip valve 140, and displaces the spool thereof to admit air froma source of pressurized air to a conduit 141a. The application of airpressure to the conduit 141a applies pressure to an input port of afirst mandrel position trip valve 142 which is responsive to theposition of the mandrel member 95. Should the trip valve 142 sense thatthe mandrel member is withdrawn from a package and clear of therotatable member 60, the pressure present in the conduit 141a isadmitted to an extension conduit l4lb thereof, to flow through a cyclestop valve 143 and a cycle start valve 144 (discussed hereinafter) toand through further extension conduits 1410 and 141d to a pilot pistonat one extremity of the spool of a four-way advancing means pilot valve145, thereby displacing the spool thereof (toward the right in FIG. 15).At the same time, a pressure signal is applied through the conduit 141bto a pilot piston at one extremity of the spool of a three-way blockingand core gate pilot valve 146 to displace the spool thereof. Upondisplacement of the spool of the advancing means pilot valve 145, air isadmitted from a suitable source to a conduit 148 leading to theadvancing means cylinder 82, to result in extension of the pushing bar81 for engagement with a cross-bar 84 of the rotatable member 60 todrive the member in rotation. Displacement of the spool of the blockingand core gate pilot valve 146 assures that a conduit 149 communicatingwith the blocking cylinder 90 and core gate cylinder is open to anexhaust, pressure is thus relieved from those cylinders, and the pistonrods thereof are withdrawn. As the pushing bar 81 is extended, it risesfrom contact with the first advancing means trip valve 140, and thespool thereof is returned by a biasing spring to a flow cut-offposition. Pressure is then exhausted through the conduits 141a-l4ld fromthe pilot pistons of the advancing means pilot valve 145 and theblocking and core gate pilot valve 146. As the rotatable member 60 isadvanced through of rotation, a cam 150 secured adjacent an extremity ofa cross-bar 84 engages a first rotatable member trip valve 151 anddisplaces the spool thereof to admit air from a suitable source to aconduit 152. The admission of air pressure to the conduit 152 applies apressure signal to pilot pistons at the extremities of the operatingspools of two three-way valves, namely first and second transfer pilotvalves 153 and 154, displacing the spools thereof (toward the right inFIG. 16). Further advancement of the pushing bar 81 results inengagement of an upward projection thereof with a second advancing meanstrip valve 155. Displacement of the spool thereof admits air pressurefrom a suitable source to a conduit 156a making such pressure availableat the input port of a second rotatable member trip valve 158,positioned adjacent the rotatable member for actuation by a cam 159 uponthe member 60 being rotated until a package P conveyed thereby hasreached the core replacement station and is aligned with the mandrelmember 95.

In order to actuate the operating instrumentalities of the apparatus incoordination with the presentation of a package of predetermined size,this invention includes means for sensing the size of the packages P,which means preferably comprises first and second package sensing valves160 and 161, supported on the movable vertical members 88 and 89 tooverlie the predetermined common path of travel for the packages P andincluding respective depending actuating lever arms 162 and 163 whichterminate closely adjacent the core replacement station. The lowerterminal extremities of the valve actuating lever arms 162 and 163 arelocated to be engaged by certain packages upon lifting thereof from thedispensing location in the trough fingers 52 by the lifting fingers71-73 of the rotatable means 60. if the package is of correct size forcore replacement, one of the valve actuating levers is engaged and thefirst package sensing valve 160 is operated. if the package is of toolarge a size for correct alignment of the winding core thereof with themandrel member 95 at the core replacement station, both of the valveactuating levers 162 and 163 are engaged and both of the first andsecond package sensing valves 160 and 161 are actuated. Should thepackage be of too small a size for correct alignment with the mandrelmember 95, neither of the valve actuating levers is engaged. Thecooperation of the valves 160 and 161 as so actuated by various sizes ofpackages P with the other operating instrumentalities of the apparatuswill become more clear hereinafter, when the detailed operation of thefluid control system in all modes of operation has been described.

As rotation of the rotatable member 60 continues, a package P isreceived from the trough fingers 52 and lifted by the lifting fingers71-73 to actuate the first package sensing valve 160. Displacement ofthe spool of the first sensing valve admits air from a suitable sourceto a conduit 165 and thence applies a signal to an input port of thefirst transfer pilot valve 153. Due to the position of the spool of thetransfer valve, the pressure signal is passed through the valve to aconduit 166 and applied to a pilot piston at one end of the spool of athird transfer pilot valve 168 to displace the same (toward the right inFIG. 16). The package P carried in the pocket of the rotatable memberalso acts on a third package sensing valve 169, to displace the spoolthereof and establish communication between two branches 156b and l56cof the conduit 1564 to which pressure has been applied by the secondadvancing means trip valve 155.

Upon further rotation of the rotatable member 60 to advance a package Pto the core replacement station and into alignment with the mandrelmember 95, the second rotatable member trip valve 158 is actuated andthe pressure present in the input conduit 156a thereto is admitted tothe branch conduits 156b and 1560, to be applied to input ports of thethird transfer valve 168.

The pressure signal applied to the valve 168 through the branch conduit156c is passed to flow through a conduit 170 to a manual mandrel advancevalve 171 and thence through a conduit 172a to a replacement core tripvalve 174 positioned adjacent the mandrel member 95. The signal appliedto the valve 168 through the branch conduit 156b is blocked by thedisplacement of the spool which earlier resulted from the application ofa pressure signal to the pilot conduit 166. An actuator element of thetrip valve 174 extends adjacent the mandrel member 95, to sense thepresence or absence of a replacement core thereon, and in the absence ofa replacement core on the retracted mandrel member 95, the pressuresignal passed through the valve 168 from the conduit 156c is passedthrough a branch conduit 172b to a second mandrel position trip valve175. Should a replacement core be present on the retracted mandrelmember 95, that core has been withdrawn from the package P leaving thepackage coreless, and operation of the apparatus should be interrupted.The second position valve 175 is engaged by the mandrel member 95 and,in the event that the mandrel member 95 is fully and properly retracted,the spool thereof is displaced to admit the pressure signal from theconduit [72b to a pilot piston of a four-way core replacement pilotvalve 178 through a branch conduit 1720. With the spool of the corereplacement valve 178 displaced (toward the right in FIG. 16), air isapplied from a suitable source to a conduit 179 communicating with thecore replacement cylinder 97 to move the mandrel member 95 toward thecommon path of travel of the packages P, through a replacement core R inthe replacement magazine, and thereby replace the winding core W in thepackage.

Upon application of air pressure to the conduit 179, such pressure isapplied to the pilot pistons of the threeway blocking and core gatepilot valve 146 and a reject gate pilot valve 180. Upon displacement ofthe spool of the blocking and core gate valve 146, air is applied from asuitable source to the conduit 149 communicat' ing with the blockingcylinder and the replacement core release gate cylinder 130. With suchapplication of pressure, further rotation of the rotatable member 60 isblocked by the piston rod 91 as the mandrel member is extended in thecore replacing operation, and the gate of the replacement core magazineis raised to prevent the entanglement of a second replacement core withthe mandrel member 95. At the same time, the pressure present in conduit179 is applied to pilot pistons of the reject gate pilot valve 180 andthe second transfer pilot valve 154, to displace the spools thereof (tothe left in FIG. 16). The displacement of the spool of the secondtransfer valve 154 blocks the conduit 1 and opens one pilot piston ofthe reject pilot valve 180 to the atmosphere as pressure is applied tothe opposite pilot piston of that valve, to displace the spool thereof.Displacement of the spool of the reject pilot valve 180 controls theapplication of air from a suitable source to a reject gate cylinder 181.Through a suitable linkage, the reject gate cylinder piston rod 182controls the position of a floor portion 184 of the lower package trough151 which is supported for rotation about the fixed shaft 70. Withpressure applied to extend the piston rod 182, the floor portion 184 ismaintained in an elevated position to receive a package nextsubsequently advanced by the rotatable member 60 and assure continuedguidance thereof along the predetermined common path of travel (FIG. 7).

Upon expulsion of a winding core W from the package P, the expelled coreengages an actuating element of an expelled core trip valve 190,displacing the spool of that valve and opening an operativecommunication between a pair of conduits 191 and 1924. The

'conduit 191 communicates with the spool of a third mandrel positiontrip valve 194, which valve is engaged by the movable side plate 105 asthe mandrel member 95 reaches the fully extended position, and with thesecond package sensing valve 161. Upon displacement of the spool of thethird mandrel trip valve 194, air is admitted from a suitable source tothe conduit 191, to pass through the expelled core trip valve 190 to theconduit 1920, through a pair of manually actuable advancing meanscontrol valves 195 and 196, and thence to be applied to a pilot pistonof the advancing means pilot valve 145. Application of such pressure tothe pilot piston reverses the position of the spool thereof and resultsin the admission of air to a conduit 198 communicating with theadvancing means cylinder 80 to retract the pushing bar 81, actuate thefirst advancing means trip valve 140, and admit pressure to the conduit141a to begin initiation ofa succeeding cycle. Pressure in the conduit19] is also applied to a pilot piston of the core replacement pilotvalve 178, to reverse the position of the spool of that valve and resultin the application of pressure from a suitable source to a conduit 199communicating with the core replace ment cylinder 97 for retraction ofthe mandrel member 95, and through the second package sensing valve 161and conduit 200 to a pilot piston of the third transfer valve 168 so asto relieve the opposite pilot piston of the core replacement valve 178to an exhaust. The conduit 179 is simultaneously opened to exhaust and,upon retraction of the mandrel member 95 to clear a package and therotatable member 60, the first mandrel position trip valve 142 passesthe pressure in the conduit 1410 to the connecting conduit [41b toreverse the spool position of the blocking and core gate pilot valve146, and the replacement core gate and rotation blocking means arewithdrawn.

The operation of the first advancing means trip valve 140 and the firstmandrel position trip valve 142 is such that continuing cycles ofoperation of the apparatus overlap, in that air is admitted to theadvancing means cylinder 82 to initiate rotation of the rotatable member60 prior to full retraction of the mandrel 95. Such overlapping of thecycle of operation facilitates obtaining a higher production rate forthe apparatus. An additional detail of the cycle of operation involvesthe second transfer valve 154, which controls the spool displacement ofthe reject gate pilot valve 180 so as to maintain the reject gate in theclosed position until it is required that the gate be displaced tosegregate an abnormal size package, as described hereinafter.

ABNORMAL SIZE AND ABSENT PACKAGE OPERATION The discussion of the controlsystem and operation of the apparatus given heretofore has assumed thatonly the first package sensing valve was actuated upon a package P beinglifted from the dispensing location at the finger members 52 by thelifting fingers 71-73 and advanced to the core replacing station.Operation of the system in the event that an oversize or undersizepackage is presented for core replacement will now be briefly described.

In the event that the package P presented for core replacement isoversize, both of the first and second package sensing valves 160 and161 are actuated. Upon actuation of the second sensing valve 161,pressure from a suitable source is admitted to a conduit 200 to beapplied to a pilot piston of each of the first and third transfer pilotvalves 153 and 168, returning the spools of those valves to thepositions indicated in FIG. 16 and thereby blocking the pressure signalswhich would otherwise be applied to a pilot piston of the corereplacement pilot valve 178. By blocking such a signal otherwise appliedto this pilot piston, pressure fluid is not applied to the corereplacement cylinder 97 to extend the mandrel member 95. instead, theapplication of pressure to the conduit 15617 on rotation of therotatable member 60 to actuate the second rotatable member trip valve158 results in such pressure passing through the third transfer pilotvalve 168 to a conduit 20 1 and through the second transfer pilot valve154 to a conduit 202 to be applied to a pilot piston of the reject gatepilot valve 180. Displacement of the spool of the reject gate pilotvalve resulting from such a signal (toward the right in FIG. 16) appliedpressure to the reject gate cylinder 181 in such a manner as topivotally lower the floor 184 of the lower package trough 5] (phantomlines in FIG. 8). At the same time, the pressure signal present in theconnecting conduit 202 is transmitted through the expelled core tripvalve to the conduit 192a, and thence to the right-hand pilot piston ofthe advancing means pilot valve 145 to reverse the position of the spoolof that valve. Upon return of the spool of the advancing means pilotvalve 145 to the left-hand position, the pushing member 81 is retracted,and the next subsequent cycle of rotation of the rotatable member 60 isinitiated without an intervening advancing movement of the mandrelmember 95 having occurred.

In the event that an undersize package is advanced by the rotatablemember 60, neither of the sensing valves 160 and 161 are actuated, andthus no pressure signal is applied to the left-hand pilot piston of thethird transfer pilot valve 168. As a result, actuation of the secondrotatable member trip valve 158, and the admission of a pressure signalthereby to the conduit 156b, results in blocking of an extension signalto the core replacement pilot valve 178, application of a packagerejection signal to the reject gate pilot valve 180, and recycling ofthe advancing means pilot valve 145 all substantially as described abovewith reference to an oversize package.

MANUAL CONTROL PROVISIONS During the sequential and automatic operationdescribed above, the manually actuable valves 143, 144, 171, 195, 196and 204 all remain in the conditions indicated schematically in FIGS. 15and 16 and pass pressure signals as described above. These valves areprovided in order to permit manual initiation or interruption of theautomatic cycle as desired and other actuation of the operatinginstrumentalities as required to facilitate correction of the operationof the apparatus. More particularly, initiation of a cycle of machineoperation is begun by manual actuation of the cycle start valve 144 toapply a pressure signal to the branch conduit 141d, while interruptionof machine operation at the conclusion of a cycle is affected by manualactuation of the cycle stop valve 143 to hold that branch conduit opento an atmospheric exhaust. If it is desirable to advance the mandrelmember 95 toward the core replacement station under manual control, themanual mandrel advance valve 171 may be actuated to apply a pressuresignal to the conduit 172a from the conduit l56b. If manual control overthe retraction of the manual mandrel member 95 is desired without regardto whether or not the mandrel has reached its extreme extended position,as when improper alignment of a package has caused the mandrel member 62to improperly penetrate a winding core at the core replacement station,manual mandrel retraction valve 204 may be actuated to admit air from asuitable source to a conduit 205 to be passed through third manualmandrel position trip valve 194 to the conduit 191. Advancing meansretraction valves 195 and 196 function, in a manner broadly similar tocycle start and stop valves 143 and 144, to control the pressure withinbranch conduit 132c so as to permit retention of the pushing member 81in the extended position or controlled retraction thereof.

SPRING CORE INSERTION MODIFICATION While the apparatus of thisinvention, as discussed hereinabove, is directed particularly to thereplacement of a winding core W in a package P with a replacement core Rwhich is longitudinally rigid, this invention additionally contemplatesthat the replacement cores may be of the spring core type which areconsidered desirable for certain textile operations. While a number ofconfigurations of spring cores for textile yarn packages have heretoforebeen employed, a modification of the apparatus of this inventionparticularly intended for use of such cores will be disclosed inconjunction with an illustration of a longitudinally compressible coresuch as that disclosed in Annicq U.S. Pat. No. 2,6l4,764. However, it isto be understood that, while the apparatus of the present invention isillustrated as employed to insert a core of the illustrated type, theapparatus is additionally capable of inserting spring cores of otherconfigurations, and the illustration of a particular configuration forthe inserted spring core is not to be considered as limiting thisinvention.

A spring replacement core R (FIGS. 17-20) of the type discussed above isdistinguished from the longitudinally rigid replacement core R by thecompressibility of the spring core. More particularly, if a pushingforce were applied to the spring core in an effort to force insertionthereof into a package P, the spring core would be compressedlongitudinally and the correctness of insertion of the core would becomeentirely unpredictable. In order to avoid this difficulty, thisinvention contemplates the use of a modified mandrel member 250 (FIGS.1720), particularly constructed for cooperation with a springreplacement core R. In particular, a leading end portion 251 of themandrel member 250 is supported in cantilever configuration from atrailing end portion 252 thereof by a central pin member 254 extendinginto a longitudinal cavity, so that the leading end portion 251 ismovable longitudinally relative to the trailing end portion 252. Abiasing spring member 255 is located between the trailing end portion252 of the mandrel member 250 and the leading end portion 251, tonormally bias the leading end portion 251 forwardly of and away from thetrailing end portion 252.

In order to grip the leading coil of a spring replacement core R andthereby pull the replacement core into the package P as the corereplacement proceeds, this invention provides a pair of pivoting dogmembers 258 mounted on the leading end portion 251 of the mandrel member250 for movement between retracted and extended positions. The positionof the dogs 258 is controlled by a cam member 259 carried by the centralpin 254 and engaging the inner extremity of the dog members 258. Whenthe biasing spring 255 maintains the leading end portion 251 of themandrel member 250 separated from the trailing end portion 252 (FIG.18), the engagement of the cam member 259 with the dogs 258 maintainsthe dogs in their retracted position and the mandrel 250 is prepared forinsertion through a spring replacement core R and into a winding core W.

Upon engagement of the winding core W with a shoulder at the rearwardextremity of the forward portion 251 of the mandrel member 250, thebiasing spring 255 is compressed and the leading end portion 251 isurged toward the trailing end portion 252. With displacement of the dogs258 relative to the cam member 259, the dogs 258 are pivoted outwardlyand a projecting nib portion thereof engages the first turn of thespring replacement core R (FIG. 19). Thereafter, expulsion of thewinding core W and insertion of the spring replacement core R proceedsby the application of a pushing force to the winding core W and apulling force to the spring replacement core R.

In summary, it is believed apparent that a method has herein beendisclosed which provides particular ad vantages for a processor oftextile yarn by permitting the avoidance of a winding operation withoutrequiring that a large inventory of replacement cores be maintained.Through the use of the apparatus described herein, it is not necessarythat a processor provide a winder and pass the yarn through a windingoperation, with the losses attendant thereto, in order to transfer theyarn from a conventional winding core such as a paper tube to areplacement core adapted for subsequent processing, such as a rigidperforate wall dye tube or a longitudinally compressible spring dyecore. Instead, and in accordance with the method of the presentinvention, a plurality of packages of yarn may be advanced to a corereplacement station where the winding core is expelled from the packagewhile a replacement core is inserted thereinto, without requiring theunwinding and rewinding of the yarn. Thus, the advantages of maintaininga low inventory of replacement cores are obtained without requiring thatthe disadvantages of an otherwise unnecessary winding operation beaccepted.

In the drawings and specification, there have been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of preparing packages of wound filamentary materialsupported on cylindrical tubular winding cores for subsequent treatmentcomprising the steps of:

moving the packages in a predetermined common path of travel, whilesensing the size of the packages at a predetermined location along thepredetermined path, and

replacing the winding cores of packages of a predetermined size withperforate cores at a predetermined location along the common path inresponse to such sensing of the packages.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

segregating packages of other sizes than the predetermined size bydiverting such other packages from the common path.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

compressing the packages of filamentary material longitudinally of theperforate cores.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of replacing windingcores with perforate cores comprises inserting perforate cores intopackages while expelling winding cores therefrom.

5. A method of preparing packages of wound filamentary materialsupported on cylindrical tubular winding cores for subsequent treatmentcomprising the steps of:

moving a plurality of the packages along a predetermined common path oftravel while individually and successively presenting each of thepackages at a core replacement station,

removing a winding core from an individual package presented at thestation while inserting a replace ment core thereinto, and

repeating the removal and insertion of cores for succeeding packages asthe same are individually presented at the station.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the repetition of core removaland insertion proceeds in response to individual presentation of apackage at the core replacement station.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein the removal and insertion ofcores includes penetrating the individual package presented at the corereplacement station with a mandrel sized to enter into longitudinallyaligned replacement and winding cores and further wherein the repetitionof core removal and insertion proceeds in response to alignment of theindividual package with the mandrel.

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein the movement of the pluralityof packages includes storing a plurality of commonly oriented packagesin a first package trough and advancing the stored packages in singlefile to a dispensing position adjacent on end of the first trough andfurther wherein the individual and successive presentation of each ofthe packages includes receiving and intermittently advancing a singlepackage from the dispensing position to the core replacement stationand, subsequently to core removal and insertion, advancing the singlepackage to a second package trough for further movement.

9. A method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of:

storing a plurality of replacement cores while selectively releasingindividual replacement cores in coordination with presentation of anindividual package for core removal and insertion.

1. A method of preparing packages of wound filamentary materialsupported on cylindrical tubular winding cores for subsequent treatmentcomprising the steps of: moving the packages in a predetermined commonpath of travel, while sensing the size of the packages at apredetermined location along the predetermined path, and replacing thewinding cores of packages of a predetermined size with perforate coresat a predetermined location along the common path in response to suchsensing of the packages.
 2. A method according to claim 1 furthercomprising the step of: segregating packages of other sizes than thepredetermined size by diverting such other packages from the commonpath.
 3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:compressing the packages of filamentary material longitudinally of theperforate cores.
 4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step ofreplacing winding cores with perforate cores comprises insertingperforate cores into packages while expelling winding cores therefrom.5. A method of preparing packages of wound filamentary materialsupported on cylindrical tubular winding cores for subsequent treatmentcomprising the steps of: moving a plurality of the packages along apredetermined common path of travel while individually and successivelypresenting each of the packages at a core replacement station, removinga winding core from an individual package presented at the station whileinserting a replacement core thereinto, and repeating the removal andinsertion of cores for succeeding packages as the same are individuallypresented at the station.
 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein therepetition of core removal and insertion proceeds in response toindividual presentation of a package at the core replacement station. 7.A method according to claim 5 wherein the removal and insertion of coresincludes penetrating the individual package presented at the corereplacement station with a mandrel sized to enter into longitudinallyaligned replacement and winding cores and further wherein the repetitionof core removal and insertion proceeds in response to alignment of theindividual package with the mandrel.
 8. A method according to claim 5wherein the movement of the plurality of packages includes storing aplurality of commonly oriented packages in a first package trough andadvancing the stored packages in single file to a dispensing positionadjacent on end of the first trough and further wherein the individualand successive presentation of each of the packages includes receivingAnd intermittently advancing a single package from the dispensingposition to the core replacement station and, subsequently to coreremoval and insertion, advancing the single package to a second packagetrough for further movement.
 9. A method according to claim 5 furthercomprising the step of: storing a plurality of replacement cores whileselectively releasing individual replacement cores in coordination withpresentation of an individual package for core removal and insertion.